Green city by the bay San Francisco has just received the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) 2010 Green Power Leadership Award. Mayor Gavin Newsom in announcing the award said, “San Francisco’s commitment to clean energy is producing green jobs and real benefits for our City today. The economic advantages of a green economy are very tangible and we can feel the effects of clean energy in the air we breath; with each solar panel, day-by-day, we’re fueling San Francisco’s transformation into a green economy powered by increasingly clean, renewable energy.” In the past the EPA has given San Francisco other awards , including an award for its Moscone Convention Center Solar Array.
The EPA Green Power Leadership Awards recognizes winners in several categories such as; Green Power Partner of the Year; On-site Generation; Green Power Purchase, and Green Power Community of the Year. The City of San Francisco was one of only two organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for the on-site generation of green power. By using more than 25 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually from its biogas facilities and nine municipal solar installations the City has become a nationwide leader. These solar installations are located on nine facilities and rooftops throughout the City, including the City’s largest reservoir and the San Francisco International Airport. San Francisco is soon set to begin generating up to 5 megawatts (MW) of solar energy at the Sunset Reservoir Solar Array just completed by Recurrent Technologies at what will be California’s newest and largest municipal solar project (nearly 24,000 solar panels).
Speaking for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) General Manager Ed Harrington said, “We’re honored to accept this Green Power Leadership Award. Our solar and low-impact hydroelectric projects, as well as our ongoing wind and wave power studies are making San Francisco a focal point for emerging technologies that are greening our economy and power.” The SFPUC is responsible for the installation and operation of the City’s renewable energy generating network. San Francisco is also currently studying the feasibility of offshore wave power generation.